Redactional fatigues – there’s no smoke

What is it to block out and re-create a specific message? Most redaction takes place subconsciously everyday by graphic designers all over the world. You know the way it is, a widow or orphan stuck at the top of the next column – or just a little too much description requiring a little snip. Remove a couple of words, keep the meaning the same.

Of course sometimes it can be to alter it’s original meaning. Remove the odd word – change the whole context. Probably the translation of the Bible falls into category. For me “Thou shalt not kill” is different to “Thou shalt not murder” Each, translator given a brief beforehand by the patron into the full purpose of the teachings.

However, redactional fatigue even in accident can give us an insight into the original context by studying different translations and the motives of each one – then working out the gap between each new translation. Why are certain words removed by one, yet included by another? I suppose in a way Redactional Fatigue – could be given a much simpler description, to dress it up in a different way.

I’ve been recently experimenting with redaction. To alter a meaning by simply blocking out a few words. Of course, when faced with a large amount of text – its easy to clip the odd word or phrase and change it the way you want. But the smaller the original message and the more direct – the harder to redact.

Cigarette packet warnings are pretty direct and the challenge was to manipulate the original message to give it a different perspective.

VANROOJ